If you have been affected by treatment during sterilisation you may wish to make a Sterilisation Claim. Often the main issues surrounding medical negligence during sterilisation are following:
Pregnancy can arise when the wrong structure has been occluded eg. round the ligament rather than the fallopian tube. If failure occurs within 12 months of the laparoscopic tubal occlusion then it is likely to be due to the Doctors error.
Other methods of sterilisation such as electocautery, Hulka clips or fallope rings should not be used as the failure rates are much higher than the 2-3:1000 associated with the Filshie clip method.
Hulka clips caused failures which then were thought to be addressed by using more than one clip. This is not good practice and should be avoided. The Hulka Clip caused mechanical obstruction of the fallopian tube. This caused the LEAST damage to the tubes of all of the types of tubal ligations. The pregnancy rate was over 80% following reversal with tubal clips.
The Fallope ring was a small silastic band placed around a loop of the fallopian tube. A 2-3 cm segment of fallopian tube is drawn inside a narrow applicator. The silastic ring is then released onto the tubal loop. As the ring contracts due to its elasticity, it constricts the base of the loop and blocks the fallopian tube. Deprived of its blood supply, the constricted loop is replaced with scar tissue, and the remaining healthy tubal segments separate, similar to the Pomeroy tubal ligation method. The pregnancy rate was 70% following reversal of tubal rings procedures.
Common mistakes happen when applying the Filshie clip to the wrong structure. The routine use of more than one Filshie clip on each fallopian tube is not recommended.
Filshie Clips can often migrate and cause chronic abdominal pain. Migration of Filshie clips is estimated to occur in 25% of all patients; 0.1-0.6% of these patients subsequently experience symptoms or extrusion of the clip from anatomical sites such as the anus, vagina, urethra, or abdominal wall. Migrated clips may present as chronic groin sinus, perianal sepsis, or chronic abdominal pain. These symptoms can occur as early as 6 weeks or as late as 21 years after application.
Additional methods of contraceptive should also be used post procedure until the next menstrual period starts to ensure that pregnancy is avoided if there is a failure in the sterilisation. Removing the coil during the sterilisation may cause pregnancy if ovulation occurred prior to the procedure.
It is good clinical practice to take photographs post procedure and these are often used as evidence of the type of sterilisation and correct placement of the Filshie clips.
If you think you may have a claim in relation to your sterilisation then call us in confidence to discuss your issue. We are happy to talk through what has happened and advise you on a potential claim. Call us for FREE on 0800 470 2009 or email Dr Victoria Handley at vhandley@handleylaw.co.uk